Soakaways

Water management is a vital consideration for anyone connected with building or development works. Whether you are an architect designing new homes and premises, a construction engineer working on site, or a householder who is concerned that a build up of water may be causing damage to your property, understanding the issues surrounding water management is the first step to constructing and maintaining buildings effectively. Rainwater soakaway systems are used in new builds and as a modification on existing properties to prevent damage to structures and grounds under extreme conditions. Every property should have rainwater drainage systems built into it, however under certain conditions such as storms or floods these may be inadequate. If the ground adjacent to a building is susceptible to flooding, a French drain soakaway system may be the answer. If you have standing water next to the wall of your building, it must be removed before it causes structural damage. Or if you are installing a driveway or other hardstanding, there needs to be somewhere for the rainwater to go. This surface water must be dealt with as part of the building project rather than being sent into existing drainage infrastructure, so a soakaway drain is a good solution which qualifies as a Sustainable Urban Drainage System according to regulations. Not all soil types are suitable for the installation of a rainwater soakaway system. Sandy and loamy soils are fine, but if your property is built on clay soil another solution will have to be found, as digging a soakaway in impermeable soil will leave you with nothing more that an expensive garden pond! A French drain is a trench which runs parallel to the wall of your property, usually at the point where pooling occurs. The trench is filled with coarse aggregate on the bottom, with smaller stones being added on top, to allow water to flow through whilst filtering out debris. A pipe then drains off the water into a soakaway. Traditionally, this was a large hole filled with rubble which contains the excess water until the surrounding ground is able to absorb it. Recent innovations like soakaway crates and Polybed soakaway pipes have used similar principles to create even more convenient and efficient systems. These systems are great for draining excess groundwater, but what if your property needs an effluent soakaway system like a septic tank soakaway? The rules regarding the discharge of sewage effluent are even tighter than those governing rainwater management, but not to worry, the experts at ASAP Septic Tanks are here to help. If your property relies on a septic tank or sewage treatment plant, a soakaway kit from ASAP Septic Tanks may be just what you need to get your system up and running while satisfying the relevant legislation. Ezy Drain soakaway pipes and Polybed soakaway products are approved for use with remote sewage systems. So why not give us a call for more information, or to find out how we can help with your particular situation?